# Butikkiro

The Butikkiro is the official residence of the Katikkiro of Buganda in Uganda. It derives its name from the official residence of the Katikkiro and it is where he hosts the official guests when not at his office in the Bulange building. The Butikkiro also acts as the final confirmation place of any person appointed to the office of Katikkiro. It is where one has to keep or reach with the royal mace (Ddamula) after it has been handed over to him. If the Katikkiro (designate) fails to deliver Ddamula at Butikkiro, he then cannot rule on behalf of the Kabaka.

## Location

The Butikkiro is located in Kampala, in the Mengo neighborhood, opposite the Twekobe.

## History and Tradition

The Kabaka of Buganda is not allowed to stay in his Twekobe if the Katikkiro of Buganda is not in the Butikkiro.
After the Kabaka of Buganda hands over the Ddamula (the royal mace) to the newly appointed Katikkiro of Buganda, the Katikkiro pledges his allegiance to the Kabaka and promising to execute the duties assigned to him by the Kabaka. The Katikiiro has to hold that Ddamula until he reaches the Butikkiro while being protected by members of his clan so that no one from another clan grabs it from before him reaches the Butikkiro. When the Katikkiro reaches the Butikkiro, he has to thank his clan members by organising a feast for them.
In 1966, the Butikkiro was among the property of Buganda that was seized by the government that was led by Milton Obote when monarchy was abolished in Uganda.
In 1997, the government led by Yoweri Museveni, returned the property which were seized by the government during Obote's mandate, including the Butikkiro. Buganda agreed to let the government of Uganda to remain tenants of the Butikkiro since it had been developed into a centre for research on HIV/AIDS in Uganda. No formal tenancy agreement between the government of Uganda and Buganda was made.
In 2002, the government of Uganda agreed to build a new Butikkiro since the old building located near the Twekobe was now housing the Uganda Joint Clinical Research Center (UJCRC) since August 1993.
The Lukiiko then held a debate in 2003 to discuss whether Buganda would lease or sell the Butikkiro to the government of Uganda as it had not paid any fees to Buganda, contrary to a 1993 agreement between the two parties that was never enforced, where the government of Uganda had to pay 48 million Uganda shillings per year in annual rent . The 'Bataka' of Buganda (Buganda clan heads) that were led by Frank Kisaale Mbaziira advised the Kabaka to lease the old Butikkiro for 49 years to the government of Uganda after they had inspected the former Butikkiro claiming that it was not fit anymore to be the residence of the Katikkiro and that it would require a lot of money to renovate it back into a residence for the Katikkiro.
Kabaka Mutebi agreed with the decision as all the Buganda cultural rituals that were performed on the old Butikkiro were also transferable to the new Butikkiro and the UJCRC had a lot of equipment installed in it that could not easily be transferred.
After this advice, Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II of Buganda directed the Katikkiro Joseph Ssemwogerere to draft a 49-year lease agreement for leasing the Butikkiro in an official letter that was delivered by Mr. William Matovu ( Kabaka Mutebi's principal private secretary.)
A committee composed of both the Buganda officials and the Government of Uganda officials was created to finalise on the plans for the construction of the new Butikkiro. The Buganda team was also responsible for determining the rent arrears that the government of Uganda owed Buganda since it occupied the Butikkiro in 1993. The government of Uganda had earlier offered 200 million Uganda shillings for the arrears of rent since occupying the former Butikkiro.
The Ugandan government team consisted of Gilbert Bukenya (team lead) who was later replaced by Teckler Kinalwa, the permanent secretary in the Uganda President's Office.
The Buganda officials team consisted of the late Godfrey Kaaya Kavuma (the deputy Katikkiro and also the Buganda Minister for Lands and Property), J.B Walusimbi (Buganda Finance Minister who later became Katikkiro of Buganda), J.W Katende (attorney general), and Apollo Makubuya (Treasury minister).
In July 2003, Oweekitiibwa Joseph Mulwanyammuli Ssemwogere, the Katikkiro of Buganda, presented the architectural plan for the new Butikkiro that was to be constructed. The plan was received by Gilbert Bukenya.
In 2005, a new site of about 6 acres of land for construction of the new Butikkiro was mentioned by the Buganda minister Zimbe and it was Plot 749 on Ring road, opposite Mengo Palace.
In 2005, the government of Uganda paid 450 million of arrears that had accumulated as a result of occupying the Butikkiro, Makindye army barracks and the supreme court starting from 1 August 1993 to 2005. The arrears were paid via a cheque that was given to I Kabanda (the chairman of the Buganda Land Lease committee). The Kabaka used 200 million of the 450 million to clear six months of arrears of over 100 Buganda departmental workers.
The Uganda Joint Clinical Research Center was later moved to a new location on Lubowa Hill, at Plot 101 Entebbe Road in Uganda.

## Controversies

In 2002, Abazukulu ba Buganda (a group of Baganda activists) claimed that the Lukkiko officials had sold the old Butikkiro to the government. The claims were refuted by Godfrey Kaaya kavuma (the deputy Katikkiro then).
In 2003, the traditional healers argued that the Butikkiro should not be changed until the Katikkiro occupied it and performed some traditional rituals otherwise Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, at the time Kabaka of Buganda, was not permitted to occupy the Twekobe Palace until those rituals were performed.
The Baganda also urged that the government of Uganda to use the funds being allocated to paying arrears to construct structures for the UJCRC in the land that the Kabaka offered which was located next to the Lubaga Social Centre, while others urged that the Ugandan government should build a new Butikkiro instead of paying money to Buganda.

## Read also

* List of national cultural sites in Central Region, Uganda
* Katikkiro of Buganda
* Buganda
* Lukiiko